 Poster: A snowHead
|
hello all,
Myself and a few mates are quite keen to get booked on skiweekends.com at the end of march for a weekend on the slopes. they seem to be the cheapest out there.
They have two resorts on offer for around the same price -
Chamonix, Hotel Vert
Brides, Hotel Verseau
We are all beginner boarders who also want decent off piste nitelife.
Anyone recommend which we should go for?
cheers
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
Had a really poor experience with Ski Weekends last year, they leave London during rush hour (apparently so you have to take less time off work, but unless you live right next to Victoria bus station you're still going to have to take off at least half that day) and then base their whole timetable on there being no traffic on the way to the channel tunnel.
When we went suprise, suprise there was traffic and we missed our crossing slot, which apparently happens a lot according to our coach driver, and they simply assume that they'll be able to get straight on the next one. However although this might work during quieter periods, when we went (14th feb), there were no spaces on any crossings until gone 2am. Meaning that rather than arrive on Friday in time for the first lift, we didn't get on the slopes until 3pm and Skiweekends didn't seem at all sorry, and the only redress we got was to refund us half a day on our lift pass.
What makes it worse is that the coach driver informed us that this same problem had happened at least once already that season, and Skiweekends hadn't learnt from this or changed their times to leave London a bit earlier during busy weeks, I mean who bases their entire model on there being no traffic in London during rush hour?
Skiweekends is cheap for a reason, and suffice to say, this was my one and only holiday with them.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
|
I went with them about 8 years ago and had a good time. The hotel verseau is warm and ok but a bit basic. Brides is a ghost town at night. It's not a ski resort but just a town at the bottom of the ski lift. Ski weekends own the hotel so it's likely to be full
Of their guests which mean they sometimes put on a band in the bar or they sometimes offer a coach trip to a lively place at night. Personally if you want cheap and nightlife get a cheap flight to Salzburg book a cheap b b in saalbach and have great nightlife
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
Went to Chamonix with SkiWeekends middle of Dec and will probably do another weekend with them before the end of the season. Leaving in the evening is necessary to get to the resort in time for skiing the next morning while ensuring people based in London/SE (their primary coach market I guess) have to take minimal time off work on Thursday. I looked into organizing my own flights/transfers/accom but it worked out more expensive and more of a hassle as it was only me going.
Hotel Vert is a fair way out of town (about a 15 min walk to Cham Sud down a road with no pavements) but is meant to have a great bar. Unfortunately the bar was shut when I was there but they ran minibuses to and from town between 9pm and 2am.
How 'beginner' are you? Have you been before? I wouldn't recommend Chamonix for complete beginners but if you're confident on blue runs there's some good boarding available. You do need to get the ski bus to get to the decent areas and again this sets off from Cham Sud so unless Le Vert run a minibus to meet the bus you're in with a walk in the morning. It can be at up to an hour after leaving the hotel to getting on the slopes if you're unlucky with timing.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
I understand that leaving as late as possible to prevent people from having to take too much time off of work is a good idea, however people no matter where they live or work, unless it happens to be outside the bus station are going to have to take at least the afternoon off in order to make it to Victoria on time.
Therefore given that make the timings so close and simply rely on another crossing being available, that during peak times when they know this will be difficult, Christmas, half term holidays etc that they allow for this and have the coach leave maybe an hour earlier so that it is not at the mercy of London rush hour to make their one and only crossing slot.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
|
mrBishi, true, although I guess if you go for one of the out-of-London pickups (Thurrock or Ashford) you can definitely do an (average-length) full day. I agree they should definitely look at leaving earlier at Christmas/half term.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sideshow_Bob, very convenient for Skiweekend's staff then as I believe their head office is based at Thurrock! I think the idea of skiweekends is great, however I tend to judge a TO by how they react when things go wrong, as this is when you see what they are really made of and Skiweekends failed to learn from occasions when the same problem occurred earlier in the season, resulting in us losing nearly a third of our ski time. So much for the guarantee they make on their website of at least 3 days on the slopes!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Chamonix, Hotel Vert - not the greatest for beginners - you will have to catch one or two buses each day, great nightlife.
Brides, Hotel Verseau - long cable car up to main resort, but ok for beginners once there, absolute zero nightlife, the town is dead.
Id go with Cham - Hotel Vert is pretty basic but does what it says on the tin. Nearest ski area is Brevent/Flegere which should do you for a weekend.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
|
cheers for the info folks, a lot of useful stuff here. Ill have a chat with the rest of the boyos tomorrow and see what the consensus is
Sideshow_Bob, Ive boarded once in Bulgaria last year and did quite a few hrs in Ski Dubai (i know, fake slope but still good fun) so quite confident. It will be the rest of the guys 1st time so easy slopes would be the order of the day.
cheers all again, greatly appreciated
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
ex-partner went to brides with this lot few years ago, got on at maidstone services I think.
when got there the hotel in brides was fully booked (think he said that company own their own hotels and they are more like basic hotels/hostels) and they got put in a posher hotel in same village - bonus
don't know if you are aware how long it takes to get up to slopes from brides, it is well low down and all I can remember was him saying it takes an hour each way - wot a drag.
on way back, they forgot to collect partner and his mates from the other hotel, can't remember wot happened exactly now, but somehow he came back on the right bus and they were on time.
see yers
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
| innerspaceservices wrote: |
ex-partner went to brides with this lot few years ago, got on at maidstone services I think.
when got there the hotel in brides was fully booked (think he said that company own their own hotels and they are more like basic hotels/hostels) and they got put in a posher hotel in same village - bonus
don't know if you are aware how long it takes to get up to slopes from brides, it is well low down and all I can remember was him saying it takes an hour each way - wot a drag.
on way back, they forgot to collect partner and his mates from the other hotel, can't remember wot happened exactly now, but somehow he came back on the right bus and they were on time.
see yers |
sounds like a bit of a nitemaer. mates are keen on chamonix, may chance it and get booked up next week
|
|
|
|
|
|
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
|
|
Chamonix is a bit of a mare without a car, especially if your only going for a weekend, don't want to spend all your time on buses, especially after the long coach trip out there!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
I did 2 trips wioth them last year and was looking to see if any otehr single girls were going in Jan to Chamonix of Brides, both were Ok and I ha da fab time. No it's not 4 * but what do ou expect for £250. I was on the slopes within 1/2 and hour fomr both hotels through Brides was easier. The coach worked well for me, I drove to Folkstone and got on 8pm then was back at 630 in the morning, worked (I use that loosley...  ) full days on both Thusday and Monday.
Anyway just thought I'd see if anyone was going in Jan
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
|
Had same sort of experience as daveqpr, a few years ago. Tiring, but good value for money. I think the gondola up was only half an hour, about how long it took me to get my boots on! It was a novel experience to arrive for breakfast, get skis and be off, but exhaustion hit in the afternoon, cutting short the day.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
MissSexySnow,
oooh - good idea on the drive part-way ; i went last year with them to Brides and had a fantastic trip - 3 perfect days in 3V, and it was almost empty ! Excellent vfm, apart from 3V lift passes !
worst part for me was getting from Waterloo to Victoria on teh underground, and then walk 800m with skis and boots and rucksack - taxi this year methinks
couldnt ski very well friday afternoon as legs were knackered, but had some nice beer and cake and enjoyed the scenery
will prob do the same again in March
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
Super Travel- excellent for short breaks
|
|
|
|
|
|
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
|
|
Anyone thought about the Health Issues (Mental, Hyper Stress, Lack of Sleep , Recovery Time ) with these kind of Weekends ????
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
stanton, more than offset by getting some snow 
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
stanton, we had to push start our minibus taxi at Innsbruck airport last year. That was quite stressful.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Also NB with the Vert - I like it but some of their rooms are a lot better than others so if there is space it might be worth asking to see a choice. For a weekend I think their own bar etc should do you fine as it's very good, with a little apres in town after coming down from Brevent. It is a right old hike back to the hotel though it is do-able. I would say 20-25 minutes at least and it's on a main road, so try and coordinate with the buses! I've tried a couple of times to get confirmation of the shuttle times into town from the Vert, might be worth calling them to see what the situation is. I think they have one.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
oh and take earplugs if you're a light sleeper, some of the walls are on the thin side
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
|
stanton,
Health issues ?????
That's the whole point of skiing a short break - to cope with the mental stress of work !!!!!!!!!!!!
You sleep on the bubble up, the chair lift, and close your eyes on the blue runs and just listen out for the shouts
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
